Ellie and the Harpmaker: The uplifting feel-good read from the no. 1 Richard & Judy bestselling author

by Hazel Prior

From the author of no.1 ebook bestseller and Richard & Judy Book Club pick Away with the Penguins.

'Uplifting and full of heart, I couldn't put it down!' Jo Thomas, author of Celebrations at the Chateau

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Sometimes it takes a chance encounter to discover what happiness really is . . .

Meet Dan: Dan needs peace and order. He likes perfectly triangular sandwiches, the way coffee smells of sunshine and harvest, and the sound of birdsong that drifts into his harp-making workshop on Exmoor. His life is quiet, predictable, and safe from any danger of surprises.

Meet Ellie: Ellie is a dreamer. But recently Ellie has stopped dreaming and her world has become very small. Her days are spent keeping a perfect home for her husband, Clive, and trying to keep him happy.

When Ellie stumbles across Dan's workshop, they cannot imagine that their lives are about to change forever...

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Readers love Ellie and the Harpmaker

***** 'Without question this is one of the best books I have read and I read a lot'
***** 'The perfect feel-good read!'
***** 'Warm, touching and funny, it's a great read that will fill your heart with joy'
***** 'A magical tale that leaves you feeling warm and hopeful'
***** 'A beautifully written, tender love story ... I didn't want it to end but couldn't put it down'

• ISBN10: 1784164232
• ISBN13: 9781784164232
• Publish Date: 20 February 2020 (first published 2 May 2019)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Transworld Publishers Ltd
• Imprint: Black Swan
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[Sam@WLABB]

While wandering through the woods, Ellie happened upon the Harp Barn and Dan. He was compelled to gift her a harp in order to help her complete a task on her to-do before 40 list, and from there, a friendship was born.

This was a very sweet and charming story. I adored the setting, the harps, and Dan and Ellie.

Both characters seemed sort of lonely. Dan chose to live alone in the woods, making his harps, but Ellie appeared to be stuck in her life. Her husband kept a roof over her head, but his love was conditional and he kept her isolated from others.

The more I learned about Ellie, the more my heart ached for her. She suffered from emotional abuse throughout her life, and was convinced that she didn't deserve better. She would talk herself out of seeing her marriage for what it really was, and constantly put off her wants and desires for those of her husband's. I was very pleased to see Ellie take a chance and begin learning to play the harp in secret, though as the secrets piled up, things got precarious.

Dan was such a big-hearted and wonderful man! He didn't give his love and kindness away willy-nilly, but when he loved someone, he did so with his whole heart. He showed so much kindness to Ellie, and I was happy to see it, because this woman was thirsting for some positive human interaction. His love for his home and his craft was wonderful too, and I really enjoyed learning about both.

Though I would call this book quietly beautiful, the author also threw in some twists and turns to keep us on our toes. I wasn't sure about one of the major reveals, but I ended up really loving the way Prior let it all play out.

Overall: A wonderful story about friendship, seeing yourself through the eyes of others, and opening yourself to new possibilities.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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